I started playing with pens and crayons in my 50’s, after an Art O’ level many years previous. I knew I was drawn to art-making but I had to work hard to establish the “habit”. I bought some second hand jeans and a tunic, and when I wore these I knew to sit at my art desk. I now miss my art if I go for more than a few days without it.

I work with mixed materials (media), most of which get on very well with water. These include pencil, crayons, inks, charcoal, and soft pastels. I apply them directly to the paper or via home made collage pieces.

I also print, both using my printmaking press and by hand. I turn to different printmaking methods - monoprint, collagraph, drypoint, and lino or soft cut. I make collage papers via the press. As time goes on, I find myself mixing the print making methods, as my ideas progress. As with the crayons and pastels, the vibrant colours of the printing inks are a joy to work with.

Some of my favourite art moments are under layers (initial layers which are then worked over), and sketches, both in my work and that of other artists. It can be hard adding new layers to these images, trying to carry that moment of light touch to the final stages.

I turn to many sources for learning: 1-2-1 tutorials; short courses both in-person and online; YouTube videos; other artists; my own commitment to graft; and time for reflection. Specific artists who I am particularly grateful to are several. But to name just a few - RJ Lloyd animal prints, Gees Bend Quilting Artists, and Greg Poole, who was a member of the Society of Wildlife Artists (SWLA) . I continue to make new discoveries on this front.

My “working wall” faces me in my art room, with work in various stages, waiting for clarity on the way forward. There is a fine balance between play, focused concentration, and waiting. My website, at any point, is a snapshot of an art journey.